Chief Khalsa Diwan polls: 2 warring groups join hands

›

November 9 is the last date for filing nomination papers and the candidature can be withdrawn by Nov 10. BALJINDER SINGH, poll official

AMRITSAR: Of the three groups who are contesting general elections for social-religious organisation, Chief Khalsa Diwan (CKD), two have formed an alliance to contest the polls slated on December 2. After former president Charanjit Singh Chadha was expelled from the organisation, due to the video row, by-elections were held on March 25 for three posts — president, vice president and honourary secretary — and it witnessed triangular contest.

In these elections, Dr Santokh Singh was elected as president and his group also won the vicepresident seat, while Bhag Singh Ankhi led group bagged the seat of honourary secretary.

After being convicted in land fraud case, Dr Santokh Singh resigned from the president’s post recently.

The group which is backed by advocate Jaswinder Singh, also president of Sikh organisation ‘Akal Purakh ki Fauj’ and former SGPC member, faced debacle in the by-polls.

However, for the general elections which are conducted after five years with the expiry of the tenure of all six office-bearers, groups of Dr Santokh Singh and advocate Jaswinder Singh have decided to join hands.

The candidates of this alliance fielded nomination papers in front of the panel of election officers, Iqbal Singh Lalpura, principal (retd) Baljinder Singh and Jaswinder Singh Dhillon.

Candidate Sarabjit Singh, associated to Dr Santokh Singh group, is former MP Kirpal Singh’s son and was elected as vice-president in the by-elections. He is contesting for the post of president.The combine has fielded Harminder Singh for the post of resident president.

Ardiman Singh Mahal and Kuljit Singh Sahni are candidates for the posts of vice president which are two in number, while Santokh Singh Sethi and advocate Jaswinder Singh are the contenders for the posts of honourary secretaries, also two seats.

Candidates of Ankhi group have already filed the nomination papers. Nirmal Singh (president), Sukhdev Singh Mattewal (resident president), Amarjit Singh Ludhiana (vice-president), Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar (vice president), ex-MLA Sawinder Singh Kathunangal (honourary secretary) and Surinder Singh (honourary secretary) are the candidates.

Poll official principal Baljinder Singh said, “November 9 is the last date for filing nomination papers and the candidate can withdraw the candidature by November 10.” “We have a list of total 433 members authorised to vote in the elections,” he said.